Casting apparatus



' Sept. 12, 1944. G. M. COLBURN CASTING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 9 1942 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR GEORGE/14. COLBU /v r'r/lsflflonne r/ ep 1944-G. M. COLBURN 2,357,931

CASTING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 9, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 12,1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CASTING APPARATUS George M. Colburn,Greensburg, Pa. Application February 9, 1942, Serial No. 430,137

5 Claims. (Cl. 22-513) The continuous production of cast metal shapesdirectly from molten metal has received much attention in connectionwith such production of shapes in substantially finished form directlyfrom molten metal.

This conception as applied to the continuous casting of heavy metals isby no means new. But' it has been found to be necessary, in practice, torevise completely the teachings of the prior art in order to attain evenexperimental operativeness. However, in recent years the conception ofdirect and continuous production of cast metal shapes directly frommolten metal has been reduced to commercial practice with respect tononferrous metals and alloys, but only after prolonged and intensiveresearch.

In connection with ferrous metals, however, but little recent work hasbeen done in connection with the continuous production of ferrous metalshapes. i

As molten metal flows into the mold it contacts the inserted end of thebar, and welds thereto as it freezes Consequently, as the start-. ingbaris withdrawn, this newly solidified, welded metal is withdrawn with it,the speed of withdrawal being proportioned to the cooling speed so as toenable fresh molten metal to weld onto the previously solidified metaland thus con- This field is open to a great amount of experiing, flowinga continuous stream of metal to be cast into a suitable mold whichusually is provided with some kind of a chilling device for quicklysolidifying the metal in the mold, the solidified metal being withdrawncontinuously from the mold as solidification of the new metal proceedscontinuously, the rate of supply of molten metal into the mold beingequal to the rate of withdrawal of the solidified casting.

The equipment for the commercial operation of continuous castingdevelopments comprises, generally speaking, a continuoussource ofmoltenmetal, which usually is a furnace which is adapted to hold a reservoirof molten metal of requisite degree of purity, from which reservoir acontinuous supply of metal is allowed to fiow quietly to a chilled mold,through which mold passes longitudinally a bore which is of the diameterof the casting to be produced, and which is the shape of the desiredcasting. This bore extends completely through the mold longitudinallythereof, and forms the mold cavity, it being plugged at one end with abar of the metal that is being cast.

tinuously solidifying permits the continuous withdrawing of a casting ofindeterminate length.

Continuous casting has a double advantage in the rapid and economicalproduction of metal shapes, and the soundness of the cast metal, whichis entirely free from pores, pits, blowholes, pipes, and otheruns'oundness, the process producing metal of highest density.

One object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatuswhereby at least comparatively finished ferrous shapes (for instancesteel 'rails, beams, or the like, by way of examples) -may be produceddirectly and continuously from molten metal in a simple manner.

In general,.the present invention comprises a plurality of sectionalmolds, the molds being divided into half-sections longitudinally, whichhalf-sections become separately united to form a cavity corresponding inshape to the casting to be made, the sections being separable bymechanical means to release the solidified casting.

as the molds travel to a predetermined station on the conveyor system. Aplurality of such sect'lonal molds is provided. the molds beingcontinuously assembled together adjacent to a metal pouring station soas to define a long, continuous mold made up of a plurality of sectionalsegments into which is poured and solidified the metal being cast.

The mold parts are moving continuously on the conveyor system, thesegments and sections becoming separated at the releasing station forthe casting, the resulting separated sections moving oppositely in aclosed circuit, the spacing being suchthat as the molds are separated atthe releasing station a corresponding number of sections are assembledand the resulting segments are aligned in engagement with each other,adjacent to the pouring station, the effect being that of a continuousmold of indefinite length. Suitably positioned cooling means areprovided to facilitate the chilling of the metal in the mold, thecasting obviously taking the shape of the mold cavity which the metalfills as it solidifies.

The solidified casting which forms continuously and of indefinite lengthmay be given a suitable surface finishing treatment as the casting isreleased progressively from the molds.

As mentioned above, suitable cooling means are provided in addition toonly surface cooling by radiation, so that the molten metal issolidiiied completely before it leaves the molds. The metal is molten asit enters the mold assembly, and it is solid by the time it is releasedfrom the -n1old,the length of the casting thereby becoming increasedcontinuously so long as molten metal is supplied to the molds.

As it leaves the molds, the continuous shape may be subjected to arolling or other treatment which will be determined by the use for whichthe casting is intended.

Each mold section is recessed complementarily so that the mold assemblywill produce a uni? form cavity which extends unbrokenly through theassembled molds, and, in conjunction with a continuous conveyor or thelike, comprising a plurality of segments adapted to engage thesuccessive mold parts toform" a top therefor, the

cavity is of a shape which will impart to the casting, at least roughly,in desired final shape, which shape may be dressed, readily into finalcondition by a suitable treatment in means which are mounted inalignment with the moving casting as it is released from the molds.

It will be apparent that, as mold sections 9 and 9 are assembled intosegments by thetracks.

Band C, the assembling of succeeding mold segments will push the firstsegment along the arated and split by the wedge ll,-a correspondingsegment at the assembling station of the conveyor is assembled and madea part of the I mold. I

features of the present invention, parts being I omitted for clarity andto eliminate confusion;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus of i Fig. 1, parts beingbroken away;

tions through the mold and cooling means, these views indicating avariety of shapes that may be cast by the present equipment.

It will be understood of course that the illustrated form of apparatusfor carrying out the invention is intended to be by way'of illustrationor example only as the specific details ,of construction obviously maybe modified widely without departing from the scope of the invention, asmay become suitable for any given installation of the equipment, so thatit is intended and desired to embrace within the scope of this invention such modifications and changes as may be necessary to adapt theequipment to varying conditions and uses. Referring more particularly tothe drawing, A represents a conveyor system comprising two generallyelliptical conveyor tracks, B and C, which merge together into a commonside E. The conveyor system is inclined on a suitable mounting framework F, the split molds being indicated by the complementary sections 9,3' which are shown on opposite sides of the conveyor system, thesections traveling upwardly along the power-driven belts I0 and I2 andto be merged by the action of the conveyor tracks and assembled therebyon the common side E of the conveyor, which obviously slopes downwardlythus facilitating, by gravity, the downward travel. of the molds to aseparatingwedge ll, details of which will be described hereinafter.

The common side portion E slopes downwardly from the loading or chargingstation l3 and after the mold sections are separated by the wedge I I,which wedge guides the separated sections onto the belts l0 and I2 byway of the conveyor sections I5 and I1. These sections connect the lowerend of the side E to the lower end of the belts I0 and I2, respectively,th mold sections passing from the side E onto the sections I5, 11,thence by gravity onto the lower ends of the belts l0 and I2, which pickthem up and deliver them to downwardly inclined conveyor sections II,II, which connect the upper end of the belts I0 and I2 to side E.

The sections l5, l1, l5 and I1" comprise rollers I! which freely conveythe mold sections to their respective stations.

Conveyor belts l0 and I2 are endless belts and are power-driven, thusmoving the mold sections upwardly from the bottom to the top of theinclined framework F. The driving mechanisms are.indicated generally atG, and need no detailed explanation, they being all similar andcomprising a motor 20, speed reducer 2|, driving pinion 23, gear 25,shaft 21 carrying a sprocket 28 for driving a sprocket 30 at the.

foot of the conveyor belt, and a sprocket 3| for driving the conveyorchain 33. The sprocket 30 is driven by conveyor chain 33, and turns ashaft 35 on which is mounted another sprocket 31, similar to sprocket 30and also driven by the conveyor chain 33.

This driving mechanism is duplicated on both sides of the conveyorsystem, as are all of the structural features of the conveyor system.

Additionally, adjacent to the charging station i3 and adapted to engagelugs 39 on the molds sections as these sections are assembledfor' pourwing, there are positioned two large gears 4i and 4| which push the moldsegments down the incline of the side E as the segments are filledsuccessively with molten metal. These gears are duplicated on both sidesof the section E and are driven similarly by a motor such as thatindicated at 43, which operates through a speed reducer 45,-the motorshaft having a beveled pinion 49 thereon, which in turn drives abevelgear 5| on the bottom end of an inclined shaft 53, at the top end ofwhich there is mounted the gear 4|.

Positioned beneath the common section E is a cooling jacket or othercooling means 55 for chilling the metal in the mold. A suitable coolingfluid, such as water, is circulated therethrou'gh.

The mold segments, as these are assembled and brought end to end,receive molten metal from any suitable source which is representedschematically by a ladle 56 which is illustrated as pouring molten metal51 into a refractory charging funnel 58 which opens into the cavity ofthe the upper end of the commonmold. The gears 4|, 4| advance the molds,the metal therein being quickly cooled below its melting point; but thedeclivity of the molds on the part E facilitates the complete fillingthereof through the gravitational flow of'metal in the molds. I

As the mold is advanced, the shape is completed by the segments 59 of avertical conveyor which rotates in the direction of the movement of themold, the segments 59 making a top for each of the mold segments andfurther molding the still plastic metal into at least approximately thefinal shape which is desired, whether that be a billet or a slab, or arail, or any other desired shape.

The segments 59 are carried on an endless chain 6 l, which chain passesover sprocket wheels 69, 65, the latter being driven by a drive belt 91which in turn is driven by amotor 69. i

As the mold with the solidified portion of the casting is progressedtowards the downward end of the conveyor system, the leading segments ofthe mold progressively contact the wedge H, which is mounted to engagethe mold segments. Each section of the mold segment is provided with anupstanding flange H, H which engage the sides of the wedge H andseparate the sections, the flanges causing the mold sections to beguided onto the respective sides of the conveyor.

The wedge H is mounted as follows:

Suitable supporting standards, indicated at 13, 13' are disposedadjacent to the lower portion of the conveyors, as will be apparent fromthe drawings, these being joined at their tops by an I-beam 15, whichcarries the wedge l I, this being a substantially triangular plate.which is welded or otherwise mounted on a vertical tapering web H,which in turn may be welded to a plate '19 which is secured suitably tothe beam 15; or, the parts II, 11, and 19 may be an integral casting.

The wedge H is mounted so that its point is directed against theapproaching filled molds, its apex meeting the juncture between the moldsections, so that the sections of molds separate and ride along thesides of the wedge which engage the ribs H, 1| along the tops of themold section, thereby separating ,the sections and releasing the casting93, while guidin the sections onto the complementary conveyors. It willbe seen that the wedge ll extends over the roll conveyors l and l'lv toenable the sides of the wedge to guide the mold sections well onto bothconveyors so that each section will be placed properly on the rolls [9of the roll conveyors for reassembly.

As the casting 83 is freed by the action of the wages, it may pass to arun-out table 85, rollers of which are indicated at 81, these rollersbeing driven suitably, such as through a sprocket wheel 89. The castingmay pass thence through finishing means, such as a stand of finishingrolls 9|, and thence to sawing instrumentalities (not shown) whichpreferably are designed to saw the casting into predetermined lengthswithout interrupting the continuous movement of the casting.

While the castin 93 shown in the drawings is specifically a rail, anyother shape may be cast quite readily in accordance with the particularshape of the mold cavity as defined by the complemental mold sections.

Thus, in Fig. 5, the mold sections 9 and 9' which is closed by conveyorsegment 59, to produce a rectilinear slab casting 93.

In Fig. 6, the cavity formed between the mold sections 9 and 9 is deeperthan is the mold cavity of Fig. 5, the cavity of Fig. 6 producing, asshown, a rectilinear billet casting 95.

In Fig. 7, the cavity formed between the sections 9 and9 corresponds inshape to the particular shape to be cast, which is shown as being anI-shaped casting, such as an I-beam 91.

The molds are made of suitable material, such as cast iron, from whichthe casting shrinks as the steel solidifies.

The funnel 58 may be any suitable refractory device, properly insulatedto hold heat, such as with fire-brick or the like, and it may, likewise.be heated externally if necessary. This funnel 58 provides a reservoirof molten metal to supply the metal continuously to the molds betweenpourings from ladle 59, and, additionally. it breaks th head of metalresulting from the elevation at which the ladies are poured.

I claim;

1. Apparatus for the continuous casting of metal shapes, whichcomprises,in combination, a supply of molten metal, a plurality of separate moldseach of which consists of separate complementary sections, which whenassembled define a mold cavity for receiving molten metal, mechanism foraligning the molds together at the supply ofmolten metal so that thecavities of the said molds are in communication with each other forreceiving molten metal from the source and definin a continuouselongated channel of desired shape, means for continuously moving themolds in metal-receiving position, cover means for thesaid molds,mechanism for covering the I molds, instrumentalities for continuouslyapplying the cover means adapted to engage the successive molds as themolds move thereagainst, the said means being mounted for engaging themolds between the complementary sections, thereby forcing the sectionsapart and to the molds, and means for releasing the solidified castingfrom the molds.

2. Apparatus for the continuous casting of metal shapes, comprising, incombination, a pair of endless conveyor courses including a stationaryrunway common to the two courses, each course comprising a power-drivensection extending substantially parallel to the stationary runway, anadditional section at each end of the power-driven section connectingthe powerdriven section to the stationary runway, the conveyor courseshaving converging portions at one end extending to the stationary runwayand diverging portions at their opposite ends, complementary moldsections on the conveyor courses define a shallow rectilinear cavity,the top of which assemble the mold sections into an uninterrupted moldon the stationary runway, means for moving the assembled mold along therunway, means for supplying molten metal to the assembled mold as itmoves along the runway, chilling means for cooling the mold to solidifythe casting, and instrumentalities for releasing the solidified castingfrom the mold.

3. An apparatus for the continuous casting of metal shapes, whichcomprises, in combination, an endless conveyor bed including oppositelymoving conveyor instrumentalities and a stationary section commonthereto, a continuous mold composed of individual segments impartingflexibility to the mold, the said segments being composed ofcomplemental separable sections defining a continuous mold cavity as themold is assembled, means'adjacent to the stationary sections forcontinuously supplying molten metal to the mold, power-driven means forcontinuously moving the mold along the stationary sections, and arigidly mounted separat ing wedge for separating the said mold sectionsand guiding the separated sec'tions onto the oppositely moving conveyorinstrumentalities.

4. Apparatus for the continuous casting of metal shapes, whichcomprises, in combination, an endless conveyor bed including oppositelymoving conveyor instrumentalities and a stationary section commonthereto and communi- .mold instrumentalities for covering each segmentof the mold as it is filled, and for pushing the assembled segmentsalong the said stationary conveyor bed section as they are filled,chilling means for the mold to solidify quickly the molten metalsupplied thereto, and separating means for engaging successive moldsegments for separating them and for separating the complementarysections or each mold, thereby releasing the casting, the separatingmeans defining a guide for the separated sections forguiding them ontothe oppositely moving conveyor instrumentalities. V

5. Apparatus for the continuous casting of metal shapes, whichcomprises, in combination,

an endless conveyor bed, including oppositely moving conveyorinstrumentalities and a stationary section common thereto andcommunieating with themoving conveyor instrumentalities, a mold composedof independent segments, each segment being composed of separablesections defining a continuous mold cavity when the said sections andsegmentsare assembled at the stationary section of the conveyor bed,means adjacent to this stationary section for continuously supplyingmolten metal to the mold as it is assembled at-the said stationarysection of the conveyor, instrumentalities for covering each segment ofthe mold as it is filled and forpushing the mold along the saidstationary bed section, and separating means for engaging suc-c cessivemold segments'for separating them and for separating ,the complementarysections of each segment while guiding the resulting separated segmentsonto the oppositely moving conveyor instrumentalities which are adaptedto reassemble the said sections and segments into the mold at the saidstationary section, before previously asembled parts are filled withmetal, thereby making a continuous mold.

GEORGE M. COLBURN.

